Truck for railway-cars.



A. L. HASTINGS.

TRUCK FOR RAILWAY-CARS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 11, 1911.

1 1 70,8 1 O n Patented Feb. 8, 1916 76m JW W' my;

THE COLUMBXA PLANOGRAPH c0., WASHINGTON. D. C.

ALONZO L. HASTINGS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TRUCK FOR RAILWAY-CABS.

Specification of Letterslatent.

ratentea Feb.8,1916.

Application filed November 11, 1911. Serial No. 659,691.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that-I, ALoNzo L. HASTINGS,

a citizen of the United States, residingat construction and arrangement which will render such trucks more rigid, more reliable, and more efficient.

The frames for the. trucks of the present day usually comprise two side framesspaced apart and connected together by a spring plank, the side frames receiving the journal boxes for the wheel axles, and the spring plank supporting the springs and the bolster mechanism. In the side frames a substantially rectangular opening is provided in the center through which the spring plank extends. (See for example, my prior Patents No. 936,626, dated October 12, 1909, and No. 1,006,549, dated October 24:, 1911.) a In the arrangements of these patents blocks are secured to the under side of the spring plank at the ends thereof, which blocks have grooves for receiving the web stubs at the bottom of the side frame opening, this engagement of the blocks with the web stubs and the mere engagement of the spring plank sides with the chafing frames having been relied upon to prevent relative movement between the spring plank and side frames during running of the truck. The spring plank should of course remain at right angles with the side frames, and it has been found that where there :is no more positive means for more rigidlysecuring the spring plank to the side frames, the spring plank soon loosens enough in the side frames to allow the side frames to move relatively,

this of course causing severe strain to be placed upon the journal boxes and bearings. It is very desirable that some means be provided which'can act to rigidly securethe side frames and spring plank against rela tive movement. It is also desirable that the fastening means be such as can be readily manipulated to disconnect the spring plank from the side frames, and it is also desirable that the fastening means be adjustable or compensatory, so that any wear which;

might allow relative movement between the spring plank and side frames can be compensated for at any time and rigid relationship thus maintained.

'One of the important objects of my invention is therefore to provide such above desirable securing means, and I preferably provide such means in the form of--wedge mechanism which is applied primarily to secure rigid connection between the side frames and spring plank and which can be actuated after running of the truck to take up any wear and looseness which may result after a period of work by the'truck'. The

wedge mechanism is also such that it can be readily manipulated at any time to release the spring plank from the sideframes, as, for example, when it is desired to make substitutions or repairs. 9 r i Another important object of my invention is to provide a side frame provided with additional strengthening members for assist ing the side frames in withstanding the heavy wear and tear to which they are subjected in railway service. I

The various features of my invention are fully illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described more in detail in the following specification. I

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side view of a truck frame, showing a preferred form of side frame construction and showing particularly the arrangement for securing the ends of the spring plank to the side frames,

wedging mechanism arrangement, Fig. 3

showsin side elevation one end of the truck frame in embryo, the dotted lines showing the form of the blank after stamping from an I-beam, and'the full lines showing the arrangement just after bending together of the" various elements and just prior to the final welding operation, Figp l is an'end elevational View of the parts as arranged in Fig. 3'. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken from plane 5.5, 1, Fig. 6 is a top viewof one of the wedges employed, Fig. 7 is a view of -the inner side of the wedge, and Fig. 8 is a bottom of the wedge.

Each side frame is formed from a section of commercial Lbeam, from which acentral seetion is punched out to leave a Substan.

tially rectangular opening 10, portions of the web at each end of the I-beam section being cut away to leave the upper and lower flange portions 11 and 12 and to leave the diagonally extending tongue 13 and the upper and lower triangular spaces 14 and 15. After such stamping the upright web sections or walls lfiand 17 remain adjacent the inner opening 10, and the tongues 13 extend diagonally outwardly and upwardly from the bases of the vertical sections 16 and 17, as clearly illustrated. In order to strengthen the flange sections, stubs 18 of the web will be left adjacent the various flange sections. A longitudinal slot 19 is also stamped in the end section of the tongues 18. After thus forming the blank the top flange arms 11 are bent to form the downwardly inclined portions 20 and the horizontal ends 21, and the lower flange arms 12 are each bent to form the upwardly inclined section 22, the vertical intermediate section 23, and the end horizontal section 24. Each tongue 13 at the base of its slot 19 is given a ninety degree twist, as shown at 25, and at this part the slotted end is bent downwardly to be hori'zontal'and parallel with the ends 21 and 24 of the adjacent flange arms 11 and 12, the slot 19 receiving the abutting web stubs 18 of the upper and lower flange arm ends 21 and 24. After this bending and forming process the ends 21 and 24 with the slot-ted tongue ends between them are heated and put under the hammer or in a press and firmly welded together, the slotted tongue ends forming fillers between the flange arm ends, the end section of the tongues being preferably widened to substantially the width of the flange arms so that sufficient filler material will be provided. During this welding process or thereafter the end sections 26 are deflected vertically downvardly to form with the vertical sections 23 of the lower flange arms the pockets 27 for receiving journal box mechanism, and we then have the side frame structure shown in Fig. 1. During the welding process the flowing metal will fill out and smooth off all corners, and the side frames will have a finished appearance.

The vertical wall sections 16 and 17 adjacent the central opening 10 serve to support the chafing frames 28 and 28 (Figs. 7 and 8), these frames being exactly alike. Each frame is stamped and formed integrally of sheet metal, and the body thereof is of T- section, each comprising the front section 29, the sections 30 and 31 bent abruptly back against the front section, and the sections 32 and 33 extending perpendicularly from the sections 30 and 31 but separated a distance to receive between them the wall 16 or the wall 17, the front section 29 abutting against the inner edge of said wall. Each chafing frame is secured to its supporting wall section preferably by being spot welded thereto. Each chafing frame has also preferably formed integral therewith an arm or bracket 34 continued outwardly from the rear edge of the section 32, the outer end of the bracket having lugs and 36 bent perpendicularly therefrom for supporting brake controlling mechanism. The bolsters which will be used with this form of frame have side grooves for receiving the adjacent heads of the chafing frames, and in order that a bolster may be applied to the opposite side frames when the chafing frames are in permanent position thereon, these chafing frames are offset at 37 adjacent their lower ends a distance equal to the height of the bolster to form opposite pockets or channels 38, into which the ends of the bolster are first inserted, whereafter the bolster can be raised to bring its grooves into dove-tail engagement with the upper ends of the chafing frame heads. The offsets of the chafing frames can be readily provided therein during formation thereof, and in order to ac commodate these offset sections the web sections 16 and 17 are each provided with a recess 39, as best shown in Fig. 3.

The bolster is usually supported on springs and is held thereby in the upper parts of the compartments 10 of the side frames, and in order to support these springs a spring plank 40 is provided, the ends of the spring plank extending through the lower parts of the openings 10 and resting against the lower wall sections 41. The

spring plank shown is in the form of a channel beam applied with its flanges extending upwardly, and to secure the spring plank against longitudinal movement with reference to the side frames a seat frame 42 is secured to the under side thereof adjacent each end. As best shown in Fig. 5, each seat frame is formed integral from a rectangular piece of sheet metal whose ends 42 and 42 are first bent at right angles and then inwardly and upwardly to fit against the inner surfaces of the flange of wall section 41, the ends butting against the web stub 42 left On the flange, and the top section 42 of the supporting frame resting on the top of said web stub. Rivets 43 secure each supporting frame to the spring plank which rests on the top sections 42 of the frames. The ends 42 and 42 by abutting against the web stubs 42, prevent longitudinal displacement of the spring plank with reference to the side frames. In order to further assist in preventing such longitudinal displacement the ends 42 and 42 are deflected downwardly sufiiciently at 42 to abut against the edges of the flange of wall section 41, as is clearly shown in Fig. The spring plank and its supporting frames are of a width to fit snugly between the lower ends of the heads of the chafing frames, and such engagement has been relied upon heretofore to prevent lateral movement or swing of the spring plank with reference to the side frames. Owing to the severe strain imposed upon thetruck during service such engagement has, however, not

proven sufficient to hold the spring plank rigid with reference to the side frames, and I therefore provide improved means for positively locking the spring plank and side frames rigidly in the correct relative position, namely, with the spring plank .at right angles to the side frames, and such means I provide preferably invthe form of wedge mechanism.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 5, the faces of the chafing frames adjacent the sides of the spring plank have each a transverse groove 44 for receiving a wedge member W. The lower edge'of each cam groove is preferably horizontal, and the topedge is inclined, as shown in Fig. 5. Each wedge member comprises a body part 45 whose lower edge 45 is horizontal and whose top edge 45" is inclined for cooperating with the inclined edge of the cam slots. Extending laterally from the top edge 45 is a flange 46. -Each wedge slot is'of graduated depth, having the greatest depth at the entrance end 44 Likewise, the body part 45 of each wedge member is of graduating thickness, so that when a wedge is driven into place it will exert both transverse and vertical wedge action against the spring plank. After-the spring plank is slipped into place between the chafing frames and onto the wall sections 41, a wedge is driven into each wedge slot, the bodies of the webs then exerting wedge action laterally against the flanges of the spring plank, and the top flanges on the wedge members exerting a downward wedge action against the ends of the plank flanges, so that the spring plank is forced and rigidly locked against the side frame wall sections 41 and the plank rigidly clamped transversely, so that it will be locked rigidly against lateral movement or swing relative to the side frames. In order to prevent escape of the wedges should they for any reason becomeloosened, I preferably provide an extension or tongue 47 at the smaller end of the body part, which tongue can be deflected over against the adjacent side of the engaged chafing frame after the wedge has beendriven into. place. These tongues can be readily straightened out at any time to allow removal of the wedges if it is desired to disconnect the spring plank from the side frames, as, for example, when repairs or substitutions are to be made. Also, if any wedge should become loosened after a period of use of the truck it can be again driven fast and the tongue 47 thereof riveted over more securely, or the loosened wedge could be entirely withdrawn and'a new one substituted. As a means for rigidly securingthe spring plank to the side frames,

wedge mechanism, such as I have described is far superior to ordinary bolts-which have in some' cases been resorted to, as thebolt nuts and the bolts themselves are apt to loosen up and drop from the frame during running of the truck.

I thus provide a side frame for trucks which can be readily stamped, formed up,

and welded from a section of commercial beam, such as an I-beam, and where the dlagonal tongues 13 are provided, considerable additional strength and rigidity is the web stubs the spring plank is securely and rigidly held against longitudinal displacement thereof with reference to the side frames. The wedge mechanism which both transversely and vertically wedges the spring plank and its supporting blocks against the lower wall of the side frames and against the chafing frames, causes the spring plank to be so securely and rigidly locked with reference to the side frames that relative movement of any kind between such springplank and side frames is prevented, and thus the truck frame is prevented from in any wise distorting sufliciently to cause any undue and unnecessary strain on the journal boxes and journal box bearings.

'I do not of course desire to be limited to the precise construction and arrangement illustrated and described, as modifications and changes are possible which would-still come within the scope of my invention, and

I claim the following:

1. In a railway truck, the combination with side. frames each having a central opening and a spring plank whose ends extend through said openings, of wedge mechanism parallel with said spring plank and inserted between said springplankand the vertical walls adjacent said openings to engage with the sides and the top ofsaid spring plank to lock said spring plank securely to the side frames.

2. In a truck, the combination of side frames and a spring plank, each side frame having a central opening surrounded by horizontal and vertical walls, the ends of walls of each side frame adjacent the sides of the spring plank having grooves running inthe directionfof the spring plank, and a wedge driven into each groove, said wedges securely clamping the spring plank-to the side frames to prevent relative movement thereof with reference to the side frames.

8. In a truck, the combination of side frames and a spring plank, each side frame having a central opening surrounded by horizontal and vertical walls, the ends of the spring plank extending through the lower ends of said openings, said vertical walls of each side frame adjacent the sides of the spring plank having grooves running in the direction of the spring plank, and a wedge driven into each groove and adapted when so driven to exert both horizontal and vertical compression against said spring plank whereby the spring plank is rigidly secured to the side frames and relative movement thereof with reference to the side frames prevented.

t. In a railway truck, the combination of side frames and a spring plank, each side frame having a central substantially rectangular opening and the spring plank ends extending through the lower parts of said openings and resting on the side frames, means for preventing longitudinal movement of said spring plank with reference to the side frames when thus engaging in the lower parts of said. openings, and wedge mechanism associated with each end of the spring plank and with the side walls adjacent the opening of the side frame through which said end extends, said wedge mechanism having wedging engagement with the tops and sides of the spring plank whereby to lock the spring plank ends against ver-' tical displacement and to maintain said spring plank at right angles with the side frames.

5. In a car truck, the combination of side frames and a spring plank, each side frame having a substantially rectangular central opening and the sidewalls adjacent said opening being provided at their lower ends each with a transverse slot, the ends of said spring plank extending through said openings in the opposite side frames, and the sides of the spring plate being adjacent said slots, and wedge mechanism driven into said slots to lock said spring plank against vertical and horizontal displacement with reference to the side frames.

6. In a car truck, the combination of side frames and a spring plank, each side frame having upper and lower walls and two adjacent intermediate walls, said intermediate walls and upper and lower walls surrounding a central opening, a chafing frame secured to each of said intermediate walls, the chafing frames of each side frame having each a transverse slot at its lower end and on its inner face, the spring plank ends ex tending through said openings and adjacent the opposite slots in each side frame, means for supporting the spring plank from the lower walls of the side frames, and a wedge driven into each slot to cooperate with the adjacent side of the spring plank, said wedges preventing swing of the spring plank relative to the side frames.

7. In a car truck, the combination of a side frame having upper and lower walls and two adjacent intermediate walls forming a central opening, chafing frames secured to said intermediate walls, a tapered slot extending transversely across the inner face of one of said chafing frames, a spring plank supported vertically on the lower wall of said frame and extending through said. opening and adjacent said slot, and a wedge driven in said slot for exerting clamping action against said spring plank to lock said spring plan-k against lateral swing relative to said side frame.

8. In a railway truck, the combination with a side frame having a central opening bounded laterally by vertical side walls, each side wall having across its lower inner face a tapering slot, a spring plank supported vertically by the side frame and extending 7 through said opening adjacent the slots in said side walls, and a wedge driven through each slot into wedging engagement with the spring plank the inner ends of the wedges being deflected over against the side frame to lock said wedges in their wedging position.

9. In a railway truck, the combination with a side frame having a central opening bounded laterally by vertical side walls, each side wall having'across its lower inner face a tapering slot, a springplank supported vertically by the side frame and extending through said opening adjacent the slots in said side walls, and a wedge driven through each slot, said wedges engaging with the opposite sides of said spring plank and with the top thereof to lock said spring plank vertically against the side frame and to prevent lateral swing thereof relative to the side frame, the inner end of each wedge being deflected over against the side frame whereby the wedges are locked in their wedging positions.

10. A blank for railway truck side frames in the form of a length of I-beam having the central portion of its web cut away to leave a central opening'and having the upper and lower portions of the web at each end thereof cut away to leave upper and a lower flange arms and to leave a tongue extending diagonally from the adjacent lower corner of the central opening and toward the end of the upper flange arms.

11. The method of forming a side frame l for a railway truck, which consists in cutting out the central portion from a length of I-beam to leave a central opening for receiving spring plank and bolster mechanism, cutting upper and lower sections out of the iii) web at each end of the I-beam length to leave the upper and lower free flange arms and a tongue extending diagonally from the adjacent lower corner of the central opening and toward the ends of the flange arms, giving each tongue a ninety degree twist near its end and bringing said end into a plane parallel. with the planes of the corresponding flange arm ends, then bringing together and securing together the flange arm ends and the interposed tongue end at each end of the blank section to form supports for journal box mechanism.

12. In a railway truck, the combination with side frames each having a central opening and a spring plank whose ends extend through said opening, a slot in one of the vertical walls adjacent each opening, said slots being parallel with the spring plank, and a wedge driven into each slot into engagement with the top of the spring plank to lock said spring plank to said side frame.

13. In a railway truck, the combination of side frames each having a central opening and a spring plank whose ends extend through said openings, slots in the vertical walls adjacent said openings, vertical walls adjacent said openings, said slots being parallel with the spring plank, and a wedge driven into each slot to engage with the adjacent side of the spring plank, and each wedge having a lateral extension for engaging with the top of the spring plank.

14c. A-blank for railway truck'side frames in the form of a length of I-beam having the central portion of its web cutaway to leave a central opening and having the upper and lower portions ofthe web at each end thereof cut away to leave upper and lower flange arms and to leave a tongue extending diagonally from the adjacent lower corner of the central opening and toward the end of the upper flange arms, each tongue having its outer section slotted longitudinally.

15. The combination with a truck side frame and a spring plank, of a lock wedge tapered longitudinally of said spring plank and driven between the latter and a column of the side frame.

16. The combination with a truck side frame having under cut wedge seats in the junction of its columns and bottom arch bar, a springplank interposed between said Wedge seats, and lock wedges tapered longitudinally of said spring plank and driven between said spring plank and the under out seats of said columns.

17. The combination with a truck side frame having columns and a bottom arch bar, of a spring plank having a saddle plate seated with interlocking engagement with said side frame, and wedges tapered longitudinally of said side frame and driven between said spring plank and said columns.

18. The combination with a truck side frame having columns, a bottom arch bar and a flange on said arch bar between said columns, of a spring plank having a saddle plate seated with interlocking engagement with said flange, and wedges driven between tightly holding said spring plank with its saddle plate interlocked to said side frame.

19. The combination with a truck side frame and a spring plank, of wedges tapered longitudinally of said spring plank, seated in said side frame and engaging both the sides the sides and top of said spring plank.

ALONZO L. HASTINGS.

lVitnesses:

C. J SCHMIDT, NELLIE B. DEARBORN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by' addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G.

said spring plank and said columns and 

